Submitted by Adrienne Raczki
In the typical Dan Brown style, this novel takes off running. Rachel Sexton, a young, sassy Washington ingénue is called upon to verify a news briefing for the U.S. President Zach Herney. President Herney’s campaign is struggling but a recent discovery in the frigid North could buoy his sinking ship. Complicating Sexton’s involvement is the fact that her father, Senator Sexton, is the most vocal opponent of, and vying for, the job of the U.S. president.
Rachel and a team of non-government scientists have been brought to a remote northern location on the Milne Ice Shelf where NASA has discovered a meteorite deep beneath the arctic crust. The discovery couldn’t be more timely, as Senator Sexton is pivoting his campaign around NASA’s gross overspending of taxpayers dollars, President Herney is carefully constructing the unveiling of NASA’s big find just in time to save his campaign for re-election.
The entire novel unfolds within about 48 hours; packing murders, action, politicking and scientific discovery into this short, easy to read novel by Brown. Like The Da Vinci Code and its sequel Angels and Demons, Deception Point is fast paced and full of topic specific jargon that adds validity to the tale. The early introduction of ‘Delta’ — the expertly trained group of assassins and a scientist turned television star, Michael Tolland, add depth to the story line, easily tying together the political, scientific, and military components of this novel.
Fans of Brown’s other novels may find this offering to be less ‘scholarly’ and educational ... More of a good, old-fashioned action novel, a little thin in plot, but rich with excitement and surprises.